I built this; what have you built that you're proud of?

[IdahoBert]

We had to tear down some tall decrepit bushes that provided some privacy between us and the junior high down the hill. So we decided to erect a privacy screen using pressure treated posts and ordinary 2X4's, 1X4's and 1X2's stained with left-over deck stain. We also stretched a beige sun screen across the frame. Using the sunscreen cost a lot less because we used less lumber and it also gives the privacy screen a unique appearance. The sun and the shadows play across it in a very cool way all day long depending on the light and the clouds. Total cost was about $65.00 per screen. Remember that the stain was left over so it would cost about $17.00 more each to do it again.

Here's another view, this time from the left:



My wife saw a fence in Sunset magazine and said, "Could we do something sort of like this fence only bigger and with that sunscreening fabric we saw at Lowes?" And we could. I got a friend who is a professional handyman to aid me with tools and labor, and not counting the time it took me and my ten-year-old to sink the posts in concrete a couple days before, it took around six hours over two days and in 108 and 104 degree heat respectively, yesterday and the day before. A dry heat mind you. Not all that bad really because my back yard has a good amount of shade.

What have you built lately, or at some time in the past, that you are proud of? Got a photo?

[hueytaxi]

Very nice. Innovative and beautiful. I have no luck working with wood. I don't do much original, but have taken many a existing product and made it more practical for us. I used to be quite good at taking an old sports car and turning it into a competitive racing machine.

[NeedMoreLike84]

We needed an addition. I didn't have a ton of money. I looked online and consulted with a ton of my construction friends over a year period. and now we have an addition.

[NeedMoreLike84]

Oh, we were talking about building, like with wood and stuff?

[hueytaxi]

Oh, we were talking about building, like with wood and stuff?

I deleted a post.....I don't interact with you enough for such a crude joke....sorry.

[DTroppens]

Not much in terms of construction.

I did create a couple of sports games that are selling rather well right now - a soccer game and a NASCAR game.

[Antrat]

I once built a popsicle log cabin.

[Oblong]

an ash tray.

[Melody]

That's just gorgeous! Well done!

I'm pretty proud of the remodel I did on my daughter's bedroom. Long story, but in the end I installed all new drywall and bamboo flooring all by myself and it looks really good!

[IdahoBert]

Not much in terms of construction.

I did create a couple of sports games that are selling rather well right now - a soccer game and a NASCAR game.

Very Impressive, Dave!

[IdahoBert]

That's just gorgeous! Well done!

I'm pretty proud of the remodel I did on my daughter's bedroom. Long story, but in the end I installed all new drywall and bamboo flooring all by myself and it looks really good!

Thanks! Excellent work too, Melody.

[Biff Mayhem]

I built a yard swing from scratch. Frame, swing, etc.

12 years later it still sits in our yard and is a nice spot to rest on a warm summer night.

[IdahoBert]

I built a yard swing from scratch. Frame, swing, etc.

12 years later it still sits in our yard and is a nice spot to rest on a warm summer night.

That's poetic, Biff. Good work.

[Walt]

Back when I lived in Michigan, I kept a few aquariums, and didn't really have the disposable income to do so. I had one setup (110 gallons) that I had built (cheaply) the stand cover, filter, and lights for. The only things that I had to buy (other than parts) was the water pump, and heater.
Don't really have any pictures of it handy.

More recently, I have developed a class of degradable polymers that the University are patenting. Might not ever amount to anything other than a few journal articles, but I did quite a bit of stuff that my adviser thought was not very likely to work. Because of this, I did most of it without his assistance as well. I am rather proud of that, and hope that it is impressive enough to get me a few good job offers in the near future.

[IdahoBert]

Back when I lived in Michigan, I kept a few aquariums, and didn't really have the disposable income to do so. I had one setup (110 gallons) that I had built (cheaply) the stand cover, filter, and lights for. The only things that I had to buy (other than parts) was the water pump, and heater.
Don't really have any pictures of it handy.

More recently, I have developed a class of degradable polymers that the University are patenting. Might not ever amount to anything other than a few journal articles, but I did quite a bit of stuff that my adviser thought was not very likely to work. Because of this, I did most of it without his assistance as well. I am rather proud of that, and hope that it is impressive enough to get me a few good job offers in the near future.

Well done, Walt. Sometimes those patents can surprise you.

[John_Brian_K]

I have built a few things...Most noteably I tore a wall out between 2 rooms to make a large master bedroom. I did this 2 years ago I believe. I also helped build my deck in the back and have built a row of flower boxes out of wood that span about 20 feet across a side of the fence.

I was actually going to build something exactly like you did here Brett. In the back of the house about 2 feet from the fence to add some privacy to the yard. It looks good.

Attachment 456Attachment 457Attachment 458Attachment 459Attachment 460

[Walt]

Well done, Walt. Sometimes those patents can surprise you.

Not holding my breath. If our patent ever gets licensed (or even completed), I am looking at a whole ~3% of that coming my way. WooHoo!! It is much more valuable as a learning experience, and the earning potential of a PhD in Chemistry.

[chasfh]

Not much in terms of construction.

I did create a couple of sports games that are selling rather well right now - a soccer game and a NASCAR game.

Thats really cool. Where can you buy these?

[Joe Gahona]

Not much in terms of construction.

I did create a couple of sports games that are selling rather well right now - a soccer game and a NASCAR game.

Pic? Link?

[shabba4detroit]

I cut out a portion of the overhanging cabinets in my new kitchen in order to hang my microwave over the stove. I had to do a bunch of rewiring in order to make it happen. It may not be impressive to some, but I'm proud of myself.

[ROMAD1]

created a monthly briefing document for a senior executive of a major Western nation.

[ballmich]

$65/screen is pretty good, considering the cost of lumber. I built two 4'x16' garden boxes this spring, and I think the lumber cost may have exeeded that.

I put sunscreen across the top of our arbour that covers the patio last summer, just to keep it as shady as possible. I've been pretty pleased with it thus far.

[ballmich]

That's just gorgeous! Well done!

I'm pretty proud of the remodel I did on my daughter's bedroom. Long story, but in the end I installed all new drywall and bamboo flooring all by myself and it looks really good!

You hung drywall by yourself (or with some help)? That's impressive. I've thought about trying it myself a couple of times. But when it comes to spackling and texturing the walls, I know that I suck from numerous attempts. So I've always just paid someone to do it all.

[ballmich]

I cut out a portion of the overhanging cabinets in my new kitchen in order to hang my microwave over the stove. I had to do a bunch of rewiring in order to make it happen. It may not be impressive to some, but I'm proud of myself.

Nice. I did something similar once, minus the cabinetry work, and it was a real piece of work to complete. I think I complained evey minute of that job because I didn't mind having the microwave on the counter, but my wife did.

[apabruce]

I built a spreadsheet that combines all our investments, our rental income and expense, a simulated tax return, personal financial statements, and a scenario page where I can show income and expense from now until we're dead and test investment assumptions. I can update it with a touch of a button. I've been working on it for about 25 years, a little at a time.

Give me a hammer and nail, and I'll show you a bent nail.

[DTroppens]

Thats really cool. Where can you buy these?

Delphi Forums Login

The are card and dice games. I have sample games for each.

[hueytaxi]

I set back, drank beer and sometimes got a tool for the guy who remodeled our kitchen and built my shop. I'm proud of what WE accomplished.

[DTroppens]

Pic? Link?

Linked it above. If you send me your email, I can give you a sample of the soccer game (two English Premier League teams) and the racing game.

Net Results Soccer is the soccer game. Dialed in Racing is the racing game.

Delphi Forums Login

[DTroppens]

People who have carpentry skills always impress me. My mom has them. My younger brother has them to a great degree. My twin brother used to have some skills but I think he's let them erode. Of course, it takes dedication and hard work and I'm sure your skills will improve over time. But it's not something I'll ever have the patience for.

Those that do learn it, honestly, bravo to you. You deserve it. Idaho Bert, good job!

[smr-nj]

About a dozen years ago, I had a cat that had bad arthritis in his hind legs, and therefore his jumping abilities were pretty diminished. When he wanted to come up on the bed, he'd basically use his front legs to pull himself up. Once on the bed, he used to like to jump to the platform that was attached to the window so that he could look out.

There came the day that when trying to jump the divide (approx. 2 ft? and slightly elevated to the window) between the bed and the platform, because his hind legs had no "oomph" in them, he would fall to the ground. Now, if I were around, I would just lift him to the window.
When he'd try it in the middle of the night, I'd hear him constantly falling, and of course when I was at work during the day I knew much of the same was going on.

It was killing me.. I was talking with my dad at the time, and he came over, and the two of us constructed a graduated ramp which was covered with carpet (for traction) to the platform. I basically "walked" the cat up the ramp once... and he immediately got it.

That's the only thing I've ever built in my life.
It gave me joy.
Oliver (the cat) happily used it until he died a couple of years later.

[NeedMoreLike84]

I deleted a post.....I don't interact with you enough for such a crude joke....sorry.

Not at all. I am unoffendable.

[hueytaxi]

I'm going to jump in a different direction for a post. Team building has always been a strong suit for me. This began on my second tour of Viet Nam. I was long over my invincibility mindset and married with a child. I had not only a new outlook, I also was headed there to not only teach pilots how to fly a new aircraft for them, but to teach other instructors. There were probably 9 of us in the country at the time. I was the first in the field so my training was also mission oriented. The unit had a history of not hostile incidents damaging equipment in older aircraft. For the 9 months I trained pilots, no one was injured and no aircraft was damaged due to pilot error. Yes we had emergencies which required emergency landings, but we made them safely, recovered and repaired the aircraft, and returned it to service.

[DTroppens]

I'm going to jump in a different direction for a post. Team building has always been a strong suit for me. This began on my second tour of Viet Nam. I was long over my invincibility mindset and married with a child. I had not only a new outlook, I also was headed there to not only teach pilots how to fly a new aircraft for them, but to teach other instructors. There were probably 9 of us in the country at the time. I was the first in the field so my training was also mission oriented. The unit had a history of not hostile incidents damaging equipment in older aircraft. For the 9 months I trained pilots, no one was injured and no aircraft was damaged due to pilot error. Yes we had emergencies which required emergency landings, but we made them safely, recovered and repaired the aircraft, and returned it to service.

That is something to be proud of.

[G.Reaper]

I have built houses, garages, barns you name it. I have wired, re-wired so much wire it would reach the moon. Plumbing water, gas and all kinds of redo's. Ductwork, drywall, roofs, the list is endless. My new wood shop is capable of building anything now, as is my metal fab shop in the barn.
The list for automotive in even more vast, you could say I am very "handy".

[sub rosa]

i recently installed a kitchen faucet. a couple of years ago we remodeled our basement - hanging ceiling, drywall, wood floor - with a little help from our friends.

[sub rosa]

I'm going to jump in a different direction for a post. Team building has always been a strong suit for me. This began on my second tour of Viet Nam. I was long over my invincibility mindset and married with a child. I had not only a new outlook, I also was headed there to not only teach pilots how to fly a new aircraft for them, but to teach other instructors. There were probably 9 of us in the country at the time. I was the first in the field so my training was also mission oriented. The unit had a history of not hostile incidents damaging equipment in older aircraft. For the 9 months I trained pilots, no one was injured and no aircraft was damaged due to pilot error. Yes we had emergencies which required emergency landings, but we made them safely, recovered and repaired the aircraft, and returned it to service.

nice work, huey. in that same vein, i recently taught my son how to ride his bike without training wheels. here's a video of the occasion:

[John_Brian_K]

nice work, huey. in that same vein, i recently taught my son how to ride his bike without training wheels. here's a video of the occasion:

Man this takes me back. I had a good friend who lived a couple doors down from me growing up who had 3 younger brothers. I spent an ENTIRE afternoon in his backyard teaching his younger brother how to ride a bike. Basically I would just hold him up and give him a little push and off he would go....hitting the corner of his garage EVERYTIME. We must have done that about 100 times. He finally got it and didnt need to use the corner of the garage to stop anymore.

It is an awesome memory as I have not seen any of them in years.

[Antrat]

I once built a city on rock and roll.

[Velma Dinkley]

Damn it, you beat me to it!

I once built a city on rock and roll.

Can't say I've truly built anything from scratch but I have tackled plenty of home improvement projects over the years such as storm door replacements, installing new cabinets, tiling floors and walls, installing new toilets and faucets, minor electrical work (updating light fixtures, switches...), reshingling a garage roof, etc.

I did have the pleasure of deconstructing a crappy screened in porch/poor attempt at a sunroom on an old house I once owned. I think I may have enjoyed that the most since tearing it apart allowed me to see just how shoddily it had been put together.

[pfife]

I've written a number of pieces of software that are in use still well after departure from my prior employer. More recently I've written some "things" that have identified hundreds of millions of dollars in potential fraud, waste and abuse.